Erecting foundations under water



LEQQQE may M 192.,

M. M. UPSQN ERE/CTING FOUNDATIONS UNDER WATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15 19 A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 11', 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

mwnu. mavnnw arson, or Enemwoon, new messy.

momma rounnurons gamut warren.

Application filed Kay 15, 1925. Serial No. 80,476.

It has long been known that concrete structures erected in salt water are sometimes subject to attack thereby, and this fact has militated against the use of concrete Ii in such locations. In the course of an extended experience with concrete structures in salt water I have observed that the attack occurs chiefly between high and low water.

levels, and believing that this wasdue largely to alternate submersion in the water and exposure to the air during the setting of the concrete I adopted the plan of using only precast concrete in situations Where such alternate exposure and submersion is encountered. The precast units, thoroughly set and cured before sinking, were found to be resistant to sea water attack, and hence demonstrated that concrete in salt water could be made permanent and satisfactory.

The method referred to is simple, and has become standard practice where the loads to be carried-by the structure are not too heavy, so that the units or elements employed can be small enough to be handled economically andsunk by driving or jetting, but where heavy loads are to be supported, as in the case of large piers and abutments, or large building foundations, the problem becomes more complicated. I have therefore been led to devise my present invention, which has for its chief object to provide a simple and economical method by which concrete'struc' tures can be erected in tidewater or other cations under water, without subjecting any part of the structure to alternate submersion and exposure during setting. To this and other ends the invention comprises the novel features of method and apparatus and combinations of steps and elements hereinafter described.

The invention is especially advantageous in erecting columns or piers on-piling, and "accordingly the preferred way of carrying out the invention will be-described as employed for that purpose, using as an example the erection of a pier or column for supporting a bridge.

In carrymg out the invention in the preferred manner for the purpose just indicated, the piles are preferably arranged in groups and may be wood or concrete, but I prefer the latter. They are driven far enough to bring their butts well below the surface of low water and still leave their tops a substantial distance above the ground. Around the submerged upper ends of the piles I place a shell of steel or other suitable material, open at top and bottom but extending well above the water at high tide.

The shell is supported in any convenient manner, usually by allowing its lower edge to rest on the ground, taking such precautions as may be necessary or desirable to prevent the shell from sinking too far into the ground. A layer of sand or other suitable material is now placed onthe ground around the piles, inside of the shell, followed by a layer of tremie concrete, which is allowed to set. This concrete layer, in close contact with the piles and the inner surface of the shell, acts as a seal, so that the water in the shell can be pumped out, leaving a dry chamber in which the remaining portion of the work can be carried out. The firm adhesion of the concrete seal to the piles effectually resists the uplift of the outside water after the shell is emptied.

Referring now to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a group of piles, under water.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same group, with the shell and layers of. said and concrete in section, after the water is pumped out of the shell.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a side view, partly in section, of a later stage of the work.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the complete pier, with part of the superstructure.

The piles 10 are preferably precast concrete, and are provided with suitable reinforcingmembers, as 11, extending well above the tops of the piles. The group shown consists of six piles, but more or less than six may be used, according to the load to be carried per pile, and in some cases a single pile may be sufficient. The piles are sunk in any convenient and suitable manner, and are left with their butts projecting above the bottom far enough to afford secure anchorage and support for the cap or footing which is to be cast upon them. The tops of the piles should be below low water, indicated on the drawings by the broken line marked.

M. L. T., these lettersstanding for mean low tide.

The shell 12 may be of heavy sheet steel,

and to facilitate removal later,.it may have a slight upward -taper, or it may be split longitudinally, as indicated at 13, the edges at this point being releasably locked together by any convenient and suitable M. H. T. these letters standing or mean i 11 hi h tide.

e shell 12 having been arran ed as in Fig. 2, a relativel thm layer 14 0 suitable material, as s'an or clay, is laid on the ground around the piles inside of the shell, and onthe sand la er a la er of tremie (kncrete 15 is laid. e thic see of the sand layer is at least sufiicient to afiord adequate sup ort to the tremie layer and locate the un erside of the latter at the proper height above the ground, and the thickness of the .tremie layer is sufiicient to provide an adeof the same.

quate water-seal and firm adhesion to the piles 10, at/the same time ex osing the ends of'the piles far enoh h to e securely em bedded 1n the ca whlch is later cast on top Xlso, the layer 15 is low enough to be entirely submerged at low tide. "When the layer has set the water is pumped out of the shell, as in fi 2. It will be observed that the tremie layer is protected b the shell or casing 'from the wash of th etide or other currents and is thus kept substantially undisturbed during setting.

The remaining parts of the concrete pier can now be cast in place, inside of the shell 12, and can set in the dry, but I prefer to use precast units as'far as possible, and accordingly I suspend in the shell, from the top, a precast column or part of a column 16.

, A convenient method of supporting the col- ,umn is to clamp the same firmly between timbers 17 by means of bolts 18 and rest the timbers on the top of the shell, as clearly shown in Figs, 4 and 5. This method permits easy shifting ofthe column horizontalmay be provided w1th suitable reinforcing members, as 19, preferably overlapping the ly to position it with respect to other columns or to bring it exactly to the proper position with respect to the superstructure which it is to support. The column 16 members 11 of the piles 10 at the bottom of the column and extending out at the top far enough for secure anchorage in what ever concrete element or part is later cast on ends of the I lower end of t e column 16, as indicated in .Fig, 4, to prevent the water from workment may be I now cast a cap or body of concrete 20 in the shell as a mold, embedding the upper iles 10 and enough of the ing its way into the steel 11,19." As the concrete is de sited, additional reinforceaced therein, as the horizontal members indicated in dotted lines-at 21.

The cap or body 20, howhere in contact with sea water, i; left to set, after which the timbers 17 are removed, followed by the shell ssues I 12.--Fig. 6 shows the completed ier used as a sup rt for a superstructure Instea fipf t'rlemo lmzhtla water fit-om the ca .ar esea erlfi' asset enough water may be left in ii, or even add f' ecessary, to a height somewhat above the plane at which the top of the connecting cap or footing 20 is to be located. The ca .can then be cast and allowed to set w ilcentirelysnbmerged thus avoiding inury incident torepeated exposure and submersi'on while setting.

It will be seen that the pier is com of an upper precast member (16), a ower precast .member or group of members (10), and an intermediate connection (15-20 which constitutes a footing of approv s The rtion 20 is placed and set 1n t a dry. e tremiecon'crete portion 15 is placed and set in the wet, but since it is P not subjected to alternate exposure and submersion it is not later subject to inju by the salt water but even if it should be, the structure would not be materially-weakened since the cap 20 rests on the iles themselves and does not depend upon t e tremie' layer for support,

' It is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited to the procedure or structure herein s ifically illustrated and described but can carried out in' other we s without departure from its spirit. la the invention is especially useful for erecting foundations and other structures in tide water it may be used to advantage in other situations where the, structure W111 be partially or wholly submerged.

I claim,

1. In a method of erecting foundations, placin a lower supporting member in the groun under water, arranging an upper precast concrete member above the lower member, and while excluding the water from around the adjacent portions of said members, castin a connecting bod of concrete no between sai members and allowing the connecting body to set.

2. In amethod of erecting foundations, placing a lower supporting member in the groun under water, enclosing the upper portion of said lower'member in a removable'water;tight casing extending upwardly albovef the water and removing the water 7' t 1616 rom, arranging an u per recast concrete member inthe dry chamb r thus pro.- no vided and above the lower member, casting a body of concrete between the upper and lower members to sup rt the former on the latter and allowing t e supporting body to I" set in the dry, and thereafter removing the casing.

3; In a method of erecting foundations, placing a precast concrete lower member in the round under water, enclosing the up r portion of said lower member in a remove 10 water-tight casing extending upwardly above the water and removing the water therefrom, arranging an upper precast member in the dry chamber thus provided and above the lower member, casting a connecting body of concrete between the upper and lower members and allowing the connecting body to set. in the dry, and thereafter removing the casing.

4. In a method of erecting concrete foundations in tidewater, placing a precast lower member in the ground below low water, enclosing the upper portion of said lower member in a removable water-tight casin extending upwardly above high water and removing the water therefrom, arranging in the dry chamber thus provided and above the lower member an upper precast concrete member extendin above and below the surface plane of big water, casting a connecting body of concrete between the upper and lower members and allowing the connecting body to set in the dry, and thereafter removing the casing.

5. In a method of erecting foundations-in tidewater, placing a lower precast concrete supporting member in the ground under low water, arranging an upright casing around the lower member, open at. top and bottom and extending above high water, placing a layer of concrete in the lower part of the casing, in sealing contact with the said'lower member and the inner surface of the casing,

and allowing the concrete to set under water,

removin the water from the casing to provide a ry chamber, suspending a precast -concrete member in the dry chamber from above. with its lower end adjacent to the said lower member, casting a connecting body of concrete between the said upperv and lower members, and after the concrete has set, removing the casing.-

6. In a method of erecting foundations, placing in the ground under water a lower precast concrete supporting member, arrangmg around the said lower member a removable water-tight casing and removing the water therefrom to provide a dry chamber, arranging in the latter a precast concrete upper memberadjacent to said lower member, casting between said members a reinforced concrete connecting body and allowing the same to set, and thereafter removing the casing.

7. In a method of erecting foundations,

placing in the ground under water a lower Drecast concrete supporting member having reinforcing members protruding from its upper end, arranging around the said lower member a removable water-tight casing and removing the water therefrom to provide a dry chamber, arranging in the latter a precast concrete upper member having reinforcing members protruding from its'lower end, casting between said upper and lower members a concrete body embedding the reinforcing members and connecting the said precast concrete members, allowing the concrete connecting body to set, and thereafter removing the said casing.

8. In a method of erecting found-ationsjn tidewater, placing in the ground under low water a lower precast concrete supporting member, arranging around the said lower member a casing open at top andbottom and extending above hi h water, placing a layer of concrete in the ower part of the casing, in sealing contact with the said lower member and the casing, and allowing the concrete layer to set, removing the water from the casing to provide a dry chamber enclosing said lower member, suspending in the chamber a precast upper member with its lower end below high water level, castingbetween said upper and lower members a connecting body of concrete embedding the adjacent ends of said members, allowing said body to set, and thereafter removing said casing.

. 9. In a method of erecting foundations in tidewater, placing-in the ground under low water a lower precast concrete supportingv member, arranging around the said lower member a removable water-tight casing and removing the water therefrom to provide a dry chamber, suspending in the latter from its upper edge a precast upper member shiftable horizontally to bring it into predetermined position with respect to other portions of the work, casting a connecting bodyof concrete between said upper and lower members, allowing the concrete body to set, and thereafter removing said casing.

10. In a method of erecting foundations in tidewater, setting a group of precast concrete piles in the round under low water,

I arranging around t e grou of piles a casing open at top and bottom an extending above high water, placing in the lower part of the casing below low water a layer of concrete in sealing contact with the piles and with the inner surface of the casing, allow- ,ing the concrete layer to set under water and removing the'water from the casing to provide a dry chamber, arranging in the chamber an upper precast member with its lower end below and its upper end above high water, casting a body of concrete on the said concrete layer and embedding the adjacent tops of the piles and the lower end of the upper to provide a cap for the piles and a footing for said member, allowing the concrete body to set in the dry chamber, and thereafter removing the casing.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

MAXWELL MAYHEW' UPSON. 

